This Week in the Blogs, March 11 – 17, 2017

Tomorrow is the first day of spring and the promise of all that we associate with that—brilliant displays of spring flowers bursting from the warming ground, birds busily building nests and laying eggs, etc. As self-published authors, many of us start out like baby birds—hungry for how-to knowledge, with much to learn, but with time and perseverance and the right guidance, we learn to spread our wings and fly. Today’s selection of posts, and all the tips, tools and information we offer here at The Book Designer and Book Design Templates can help indie authors soar toward success.

A big post here today. Be sure to check back here tomorrow for our February 2017 e-Book Cover Design Awards!

Frances Caballo on Social Media Just for Writers5 Tools Every Indie Author Should Use
“”When I first started using social media, confusion quickly set it. … I read a lot of blog posts and tried every application I learned about. I signed up for more than I needed and registered for apps before they were even available.”

Self-Publishing News You Can Use

Best-selling Authors Join Worldwide “Read-in” for Refugees

As a result of the worldwide crisis involving millions of displaced people and the resulting pressure on immigration policies worldwide,

a growing list of best-selling authors and recipients of the world’s highest literary honors are adding their names to #Read4Refugees, a worldwide “read-in” for refugees. The campaign encourages people everywhere to support refugees by donating what they spend on a night out and stay in to read instead.

Many veteran and newly-published authors are signing on. If you would like to join this cause and add your name as an author supporting #Read4Refugees, just donate a night out on the campaign page and send an email to hello@gojanegive.org to say, “I’m in!” Your name will be added to the fast-growing list of supporting authors.

Come home to Monroeville, the official literary capital of Alabama. This show boasts themes such as “Literary Gumbo” and “Murder, Mystery and Mayhem.” Award presentations include the Harper Lee Award for Alabama’s Distinguished Writer, the Eugene Current-Garcia Award for Alabama’s Distinguished Literary Scholar, and the Truman Capote Award for Alabama’s Distinguished Writer of Literary Non-Fiction or the Short Story. Yaa Gyasi, who wrote Homecoming, is the keynote speaker.

Great Gatsby, Batman! The world of money is the world of action, creation and consequences. Write about it. Learn about writing about it. Drones. Platforms. 3-D printing. All their program topics read like the most interesting things happening in the world today.

This is the PPWC’s Silver Jubilee, so you can guess they know how to do a conference right. Seminars, networking sessions, a costume night, and the presentation of the Zebulon Award. It’s a writing contest! See if you’ve got the right stuff. Internationally best selling author Tess Gerritson is the keynote speaker.

Why?
"Writers change the world one reader at a time. But you can't change the world with a book that's still on your hard drive or in a box under your bed. This blog exists to help you get that book into people's hands."—Joel Friedlander